the start of a clutch problem?

[neeland]

Ok here is what im dealing with. 98 rs with what I am assuming is the stock clutch since I have no paper trail on the vehicle. My stock clutch is rather...well how else to say it but P@$$Y. I have noticed lately though when I leave for work in the morning and the clutch is cold my car shakes alot getting into first for the first few mins. Its almost like wheel hop with out the wheel part . The closes thing i can describe it to is if you have ever had a 5speed 4wd and been in 4 lo and try to crawl it at too low of a speed. You arent actually wheel hopping but the entire drive line shakes. Basically that is what my car does every morning. When i put it into first and left off the clutch it shakes/vibrates. Sometimes its not to bad and I can just get into gear. Sometimes its enough to where i have to step on the clutch and come to a complete stop and try again. I have been driving standards for many years so i do not think it has anyway to do with how i drive. I am wondering if this is the sign of the clutch going though. I dont believe it is slipping. If it is, its not badly but like i stated my clutch feels like its lacks balls anyway. I can run thru first up to about 6500 and grab 2nd and really try to get them to bark and it wont. I have never had to put a clutch in a FWD car and in all honesty it kinda scares me. I have heard its a complete beast and PITA. Im sorry this was such a lengthy post but I was trying to describe this odd problem. If anybody needs more info I will happily provide it. Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[viprez586]

Sounds like clutch chatter.
Real quick before I get into chatter, When you slam it into second does it take a split second to grab almost as if the clutch was slipping, instead of a nice firm shift its on the softer side?

Chatter also known as grabbing can be cause by a variety of things:
Loose/broken/weak motor mounts
Bent/ broken clutch fork
Uneven pressure plate release fingers
or a contaminated friction disc(most common)

Some things you might want to try is bleeding the clutch hydraulic system, and adjusting the clutch pedal push rod. You can find some more information on these procedures on youtube.com just type in jacks transmission and he exlpains it very well for our dsms.

These may help, but it is more then likely a clutch service should be performed in the near future.

Whoever told you doing a clutch on a FWD was a PITA obviously has never done one on an AWD because thats tons of fun, some buddies and some beer help though.

 

[Defiant]

I'd say it's more like cold tires having flat spots. You usually find out about clutch death in 4th or 5th, when it starts to slip under load.

Is you foot off the pedal while this is going on?

 

[viprez586]

The clutch on my VW is on the way out, I can feel chatter out of 1st from a stop, and while slamming into 2nd it doesn't catch quick and firm. VWs actually self adjust and you can lift the pedal up to see where it would be with a brand new clutch. Mine has minimal travel left before the clutch disengages. It's not slipping yet, but it will be if i continue to beat on it, however its unlikely at $4.13/ gallon.

I can't complain, it beats the 16-18mpg city and 22mpg Hwy if I'm lucky.

I can beat a 1993 Chevy Nova though.

 

[neeland]

The clutch chatter that you describe is pretty accurate to my problem. Yes when i grab second at a high rpm it doesnt matter if i ease off the clutch of just drop it. I get the same engagement. I have always thought it was just the way the stock clutch was set up to react but i am starting to think differently now. It feels fine shifting thru gears slowly, goes into gear easily most of the time, and i have never ground a gear ie. reverse or going to first coming into a stop. Sounds like I need to start doing some homework on a clutch install and look around for one I want. I would really like something more aggressive than the OEM clutch. I watched a n/t eclipse at the track the other nite with nothing more than a few bolt ons and he diffenatelly seemed to be getting more to the ground than I do. I think alot of this has to do with my clutch. If i were to get a more aggressive clutch with better engagement Im sure it would make a world of difference. Other then the slight chatter problem in the morning and weak engagement under heavy load the clutch feels fine. Is there anything else this could be due too? I will check into the motor mounts this weekend and see if i find any signs of damage. If someone would like to suggest some clutches to look at too im all ears.

 

[vanilla gorilla]

I like the ZOOM line of performance clutches. Thats what i have

 

[viprez586]

I'm not sure if they offer N/T FWD clutches but I had a SBR 4000 and loved it, until my bellhousing bolts walked out and screwed my pressure plate up. Now I have a competition clutch and is pretty good aswell. Of course ACT is well known brand that everyone seems to have something good to say.

I've heard auto part stores carry clutches that will hold maybe like 5-10% better than an OEM clutch.